It's the latest honour for the Montreal native, who won five events and broke three world records at the Athens Paralympic Games in 2004. In March, she was named female athlete of the year at the Canadian Sport Awards.
It marks the second straight year a disabled Canadian athlete has won a Laureus award, which is chosen by more than 500 sports journalists from 82 countries annually. Calgary sprinter Earle Connor was honoured in 2004.
Connor was slapped with a two-year competition ban later in the year after testing positive for banned substances in a pre-Paralympic track and field meet in August.
Chantal Petitclerc accepts a Laureus on Monday. (AP Photo/Paulo Duarte)
Tennis star Roger Federer, who won Wimbledon, the Australian and U.S. Opens in 2004, was named the sportsman of the year.
Federer beat out six-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, six-time Olympic gold medallist swimmer Michael Phelps from the U.S., Moroccan runner Hicham El Guerrouj, Formula One champion Michael Schumacher and motorcycle driver Valentino Rossi.
British track star Kelly Holmes won the women's award. Holmes captured Olympic gold in the 800 and 1,500 metres at Athens. Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova, Swedish heptathlete Carolina Kluft, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam were also nominated for the honour.
The Greek soccer side that won the European Championship took home the Laureus award for year's top team.
The Boston Red Sox, who exorcised the Curse of the Bambino by winning their first World Series in 86 years, won the inaugural spirit of sport award.
with files from Canadian Press
